“Special admits” or “Special Admissions” is a phrase that describes a program that admits students that don’t meet regular admissions requirements. It allows colleges to overlook the standard measurements and look at the "whole student". Most families assume it is for situations like one I had where a handicapped (blind) student didn't get the typical SAT scores for his #1 college choice (try doing math in your head) but he had great grades and attitude and was admitted to an elite ivy. But his story is the rare exception!
Special Admit has become an athletic recruiting tool!
The Indianapolis Star did a survey this year and found some eye-popping numbers on who actually gets special admits. Nearly EVERY player on the University of California at Berkeley football team (95% of freshmen) were special admits compared to 2% for the rest of the incoming students. But UCB is not alone, other results include:
· 76% of the freshman football class at Indiana University at Bloomington is made up of special admits but are only 2 percent of regular freshman.
· Texas A&M University is 94% versus 8%
· University of Oklahoma is 81% versus 2%
So what does this mean for the typical college-bound family? IF your student has a gift like athletics, a college that values that gift may admit your student despite their academic scores. BUT the big risk is whether or not your student can KEEP UP with the rest of the students who are academically superior. It’s not getting in but graduating that counts!
I have met with lots of families who are fixated on using their student's skills (usually but not always sports) to get into a college that they would not normally qualify for based on GPA and/or test scores on the SAT or ACT. I explain that having a desirable skill does not qualify them to compete in the real place for college success => the classroom! Unless their student is a "blue chip athlete" and planning to make the sport their life-long profession, EDUCATION should be the focus.
This is why the NCAA has been tightening the GPA average for teams and graduation rates for teams. (And that opens up another blog topic - how colleges are tempted to "shade" the grades and class choice for premier athletes.)
So what is the bottom line? If you have a student-athlete, please focus on a good college EDUCATION and IF sports can help with admissions AT the college that fits their career potential and their academic skills, go for it! But don't put your student into a college that they simply cannot handle.
My recommendation is to look at the GPA and admissions test scores from the previous year's freshman class at the colleges on your list. Here is what I want you to SERIOUSLY consider:
If your student's scores are not AT LEAST at the lower end of the mid-pack, I strongly recommend you do not accept admissions on special admit. Remember, colleges grade on the curve and you are competing with the people sitting next to you in class. Who sits next to you in class can be determined by the college's admissions history. For example, 50% of freshman at Stanford in 2007 had SAT scores on math and verbal between 1340 and 1550 out of 1600! That means the C and B students had AT LEAST 1340! If you were lower than 1340 you are potentially a low C to D student. And 25% of the freshman class had PERFECT SAT scores!!
Remember, the goal is a tool kit for life, not simply 4-years of sports glory. I think it is better to use a special admit for colleges that stretch your athlete but does NOT put them in the lower 25% of traditional students!